Reviewing Books & Saving Animals

What happens to “Queen Dog” when a new upstart comes into the palace? Bridget Heos and illustrator Alejandro O’Keeffe explore what happens when a spoiled dog meets the newest member of the family — a baby.

The text and the illustrations flow beautifully together. Queen Dog wears a royal purple crown and royal purple cushions. Her caretakers are “loyal servants” who massage her at the end of the day and take her on “hunts” several times a day.

But when the royal servants seem to be slacking on the job, the queen wonders what is going on. The text says, “Once or twice, Queen Dog was forced to prepare her own dinner.” The illustration shows Queen Dog rummaging in the garbage can with garbage strewn across the floor.

Children will love the disparity between the text and the illustrations — which show what is really happening. But all is happy in the end when the queen decides that Princess Catherine is a worthy friend and a fitting companion.

The vocabulary in the story is lovely, and the illustrations of Queen Dog are absolutely beautiful. Her eyes are expressive and her huge ears are adorably pink. It’s a picture book that kids will want to hear over and over. But parents — beware — they might just demand a Queen Dog of their own!

Please note: This review is based on the final hardcover provided by the publisher, Disney – Hyperion, for review purposes.